This is the place where the wind sweeps you away, but the city keeps you here to stay. Chicago is one of my favorite cities in the United States. When I was in high school I thought I would move to Chicago one day. It is the big city of the Midwest and it about an 8 hour drive from home. The city itself seemed like a dream as a teenager. A big relevant city existed in the Midwest! I thought I was destined to go there. What made it a dream? First, it is very international! I have had multiple occurrences of meeting people abroad and telling them I am from Minnesota and they know it because they have been to, have lived, or have a loved one who lives in Chicago. There are people from all over the world here and food options from every place you can imagine. Second, there is Lake Michigan which with the skyline make the city feel unreal. In Minnesota, our great lake is surrounded by nature with the biggest city being little ole Duluth. I instantly fell in love with the way the blue lake sparkles next to the city. Third, there is the culture of Chicago with all of its shows and concerts as well as its amazing art institute. Chicago really has it all, so as an American who has been around pretty much the entire country, Chicago would be my top suggestion for anyone coming to visit the United States. Now here is what I would recommend seeing and doing on this trip to hopefully influence you to come!
See the Bean in Millennium Park
While the proper name is cloud gate, this structure will always be considered The Bean. Sorry Anish Kapoor. This symbol of Chicago was actually only finished in 2006 which makes it almost 20 years old. It is made of stainless steal and built to capture and reflect the Chicago skyline in a unique way. If you go underneath you will see just how unique this design gets. Its a fun place to get your Chicago pictures and see people come together form all over the world. It can get a bit busy in the summertime, but it also reflects the best during this time, which makes it worth it. You really can’t come to Chicago without seeing the bean. I have seen it three times!
Watch a Baseball Game and Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is probably one of the best known baseball stadiums in the country. After Fenway stadium on the east coast, Wrigley is the oldest ballpark in the league since it was built in 1914. It still has its old fashion scoreboard that avid baseball fans adore. Now you don’t need to be a Cubs fan to enjoy a baseball game at Wrigley. I have seen my home team (The Twins) play here twice, but I still consider myself a bit of a Cubs fan since my uncle used to work for the team. Even though they don’t always play well, they are a great team with a great atmosphere. Wrigley has to be on the bucket list of any baseball fan wanting to enjoy a fun game in an old school stadium.
Get a View of the City from Chicago 360
At 875 Michigan Ave you will find Chicago 360. While most people will come to Chicago and go to its major skyscraper Willis Tower for a view from its Skydeck, this is another option to have this experience. It is a bit cheaper as tickets for adults are $29 while the Skydeck can be anywhere from $3 to $14 more depending on the day. Personally I prefer the view from Chicago 360 as well since you get a great view of the city, the lake, and where the city and lake meet. I am a big believer in getting a view of a city from up above, but its also not a necessity if you are trying to save money on a trip to Chicago.
Visit Navy Pier (And Ride the Ferris Wheel!)
What makes Chicago is its location on Lake Michigan. This makes you wonder if you are really in the midwest or if you are on the east coast. And what does every coastal city have? A Pier! This is where the beach fun happens. Although, Lake Michigan is quite cold and this fun only happens for 3 months out of the year. For this reason, Navy Pier isn’t fully outdoor attractions. There are restaurants, museums, musical venues, and of course the ferris wheel, which I highly recommend for a great view of the city and river. In the summertime you can hop on the boats to see the lake and river. If you don’t want to spend money, then it is just a great place to walk by the lake and enjoy the water.
Spend Some Time at the Art Institute of Chicago
Visiting art museums is something I only recently got into in the last few years. Out of all those that I have been too, The Chicago Institute of Art is definitely one of my favorites. The institute itself began in 1879 under a different name. Now it is one of the most well known in the world. Its arches and columns have welcomed visitors from all over the world. To visit It can get to be a bit pricey with $32 for an adult ticket, but if you have a membership for other American art institutes, be sure to ask about it, because my friend’s membership to the Minneapolis Institute of Art got us in for free. As for the art, you will find all sorts of styles of art from impressionism to contemporary. You’ll also find pieces from all over the world including ancient relics. You could easily spend all day here if you are an art lover, but I only had a couple hours which is totally doable for those that just want to browse and check it out.
Visit Clarence F. Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain may not be on everyone’s list for Chicago, but it is on mine. It is so beautiful and fun if you visit at the right time! If the Chicago skyline in the background isn’t enough to convince you to visit then let me tell you more about what makes the fountain unique. You can get to it fairly easily from both the Institute of Art and Millenium park as it is located in that larger park area. It is one of the largest fountains in the world. There is a but though, as it is Chicago and gets cold in the winter, so the fountain only runs in the warmer months of late spring to early fall. If you are visiting Chicago in the wintertime, you won’t be able to see it in its full beauty. Still, it is a very unique structure. Its built in a Beaux-Arts style and made up of bronze which is why the statues appear to be a tinted green. Once an hour the fountain has a special water show and in the evenings this includes a light show, so I would highly recommend visiting when it becomes dark. It will shut down about 11 pm, so don’t visit too late!
Catch an Orchestra Performance
The cool thing about Chicago is that it has a great music and theater scene. If you have the chance to visit the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, it will really add to the feeling of visiting the big city. You will find these performances at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall which is so cool on its own. It is like taking a step back in time to 100 years ago except people are wearing jeans and have their iPhones out recording. The hall was built in 1904 and has been the home of the Chicago Orchestra ever since. This auditorium, just like the fountain and the art institute, which it was inspired by, was also built in the Beaux-Arts style popular in Chicago’s architecture. Its pipe organ also because a part of its unique design. This is a great thing to do for those who love and appreciate music. Even those classical music isn’t everyone’s thing, I think it can be enjoyed by anyone for the unique experience it brings.
Try Some Deep dish Pizza
Chicago is well known for its Chicago style deep dish pizza. There are many pizzerias in Chicago that claim to have the best and the Chicago people each have their favorite (that they also argue is the best.) I have been to Chicago a few times and still can’t tell the difference. I couldn’t tell you which one I had each time, so while it doesn’t seem like a big deal to visitors, it is to Chicagoans. What I recommend doing? Just go with the choice of whomever you may be visiting in Chicago. If you aren’t visiting anyone then you’ll just have to take a shot in the dark. Giordano’s is a very popular choice if you need a suggestion. Otherwise be adventurous and try to find your own favorite! If you are unfamiliar with Chicago style pizza, it is a thick crust topped with more cheese than you could ever imagine, which ever toppings you choose (pepperoni is a great choice), and then a thick layer of chunky tomato sauce. Chicago style pizza is some of my favorite, so I highly recommend one of your meals being the city’s signature pizza.
Find the Best View of the River and Skyscrapers
One of the best things you can do in Chicago is walk around! The walk is definitely better in the summertime when you have a nice day because as you can see in the third picture, February is a bit cold in Chicago. It can still be enjoyed in all seasons though. If you don’t want to pay to take a boat tour of the river and lake then you can find yourself on a little walk along the riverwalk. The Chicago Riverwalk takes you through the heart of the city where you will eventually find yourself among the fancy hotels and nice shops. If you wanted to do a bit of shopping then I highly recommend including the Magnificent Mile and Michigan Ave in your walk of the city, otherwise I adore walking across the bridges of Chicago that make you feel like you are engulfed in the city. Skyscrapers surround you, but the Chicago river still flows under you. Its this feel that makes me love Chicago so much.
That wraps my list of the things you have to absolutely see and do in Chicago. Of course there is so much more you can do like visiting Lincoln Park Zoo, the Shedd Aquarium, or one of the many museums. There is so much you can do in here! The great thing is you can spend just a few days here to see the highlights and thats just fine, but you can also plan a longer stay and still stay busy with everything there is to do in Chicago. Its a great city that everyone needs to visit at some point in their life.
The Journal of Wanderlust 